The United Nations today is a shadow of the institution it once was during the tenure of my father, Godfrey Kio Amachree, QC, in the early 1960s. As the first African Undersecretary-General, he managed all UN Trusteeships and played a crucial role in the Congo conflict. Currently, the UN’s budget is $3.59 billion for 2024, which pales in comparison to New York City’s budget of $107 billion for the same year. This stark difference highlights the UN’s financial dependence on member states, particularly the United States, which undermines its ability to act decisively and independently.

This financial weakness is evident in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, where the UN has failed to prevent escalation and broker lasting peace. Similarly, the UN’s inability to effectively address other major conflicts further demonstrates its diminishing influence. For instance, in Sudan, over 13,000 people have been killed since the conflict began in April 2023, with millions displaced and facing dire humanitarian conditions. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, years of violence have resulted in up to 2 million deaths, and in Ethiopia, the Tigray conflict has claimed the lives of approximately 500,000 people.

These conflicts receive scant attention from the Western media, which is disproportionately focused on the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East . This disparity underscores a broader issue of Western indifference to the suffering in the Global South and the United Nations’ limited capacity to address and resolve international conflicts effectively.

In conclusion, the UN’s current state is a far cry from its influential past, hampered by financial constraints and geopolitical biases. The international community must reassess and bolster the UN’s capabilities to ensure it can fulfill its mandate of promoting peace and security globally.

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